Huntington's Disease Society of America Holds Annual Team Hope Walk in Albany, NY

ALBANY, NY (09/05/2013)(readMedia)-- The Albany NY, Western MA, and Southern VT Affiliate of the Huntington's Disease Society of America (HDSA) is raising awareness about this devastating genetic neurological disease through their community Team Hope Walk! This will be their third event having raised over $20,000 in 2010 and 2012.

Please join them for the Team Hope Walk on October 12, 2013 at Washington Park, Albany NY. All proceeds support HDSA's fight to improve the lives of people affected by HD and their families. Registration begins at 8:30 AM and the walk starts at 9:00 AM. Come for an early morning walk at your own pace for as long as you would like – 1 to 3 mile routes are planned. This is a great event for the whole family.

We are asking for support from the community to be a sponsor, form a team, walk as an individual, donate products, or volunteer to coordinate the event activities.

A free education day at Albany Medical College follows the walk starting at 11 AM.. Our keynote speaker, Dr. Victor Sung, from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, specializes in movement disorders and will discuss movement and general care. Other topics include nutrition, job accommodations, and clinical trials. Registration is required.

Huntington's disease (HD) is a devastating, hereditary, degenerative brain disorder that results in a loss of cognitive, behavioral, and physical control, and for which, presently, there is no cure. HD slowly diminishes the affected individual's ability to walk, think, talk, and reason. Symptoms usually appear in an individual between 30 and 50 years of age and progress over a 10 to 25 year period. Cases of juvenile HD have been diagnosed in children as young as two years of age. Eventually, a person with HD becomes totally dependent upon others for his or her care. More than 30,000 people in the United States are currently diagnosed with HD. Each of their siblings and children has a 50 percent risk of developing the disease, therefore about 250,000 people are at risk. Although medications can relieve some symptoms in certain individuals, research has yet to find a means of conquering or even slowing the deadly progression of HD.

The Team Hope Walk takes place in over 100 cities across the U.S and has raised close to $4 million since its inception in 2007. Thousands of families, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and communities walk together each year to support HDSA's fight to improve the lives of people affected by HD and their families.

To register for the walk, visit http://www.firstgiving.com/hdsa-ne/thwalbany2013 or contact Marcella Junco for a registration form. This site allows you to create an individual fundraising page to help you seek sponsors as well. To register for the education day, contact Marcella Junco. Telephone: (518) 426-3470 Email: albanyhdsa@gmail.com Visit: www.hdsa.org/albnywestma for more info.

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The Huntington's Disease Society of America is the largest 501(c)(3) non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to improving the lives of everyone affected by Huntington's disease. Founded in 1968 by Marjorie Guthrie, wife of folk legend Woody Guthrie who lost his battle with HD, the Society works tirelessly to provide the family services, education, advocacy, and research to provide help for today, hope for tomorrow to the more than 30,000 people diagnosed with HD and the 250,000 at-risk in the United States. The Society is comprised of 45 local chapters and affiliates across the country with its headquarters in New York City. Additionally, HDSA supports 21 Centers of Excellence at major medical facilities throughout the U.S. and hosts more than 160 support groups for people with HD, their families, caregivers and people at-risk, and is the premiere resource on Huntington's disease for medical professionals and the general public. To learn more about Huntington's disease and to get involved in HDSA, please visit www.hdsa.org or call 1-800-345-HDSA.